Orange Off To Best Start Ever

Syracuse (22-1, 9-1) is off to its best season start ever after defeating Providence (12-10, 4-6), 85-68, on Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome. The victory marks the first time in program history the Orange has won 22 of its first 23 games. All seven players that entered the game scored for SU, including three in double-digits. Sophomore Kris Joseph led the offense, netting a career-best 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Joseph also added a team-best seven boards and four steals. Senior Arinze Onuaku added a season-high 20 points on 10-of-12 from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds. The Orange shot 57.6 percent from the floor for the game, while limiting the Friars to a 43.1 shooting percentage. The teams exchanged the lead twice in the opening three minutes before the Orange used an 11-0 run to take a 10-point advantage, 18-8, with 13:37 left in the first half. Onuaku powered the stretch with eight points while Joseph added a field goal and free throw. Providence used back-to-back buckets to cut the Syracuse lead, 18-12, but the Orange responded with a 10-5 run. The scoring spurt, which was capped by an emphatic Wes Johnson dunk through the lane, gave SU a 28-17 lead with 8:43 left on the clock. The Friars outscored the Orange, 17-9, through the remainder of the half to narrow the SU advantage to 37-34, at the break. Syracuse stole the momentum in the second half, opening on a 22-5 run to go up, 59-39, with 13:01 left to play. Onuaku propelled the Orange, tallying eight points in the segment while Brandon Triche added five. Joseph netted back-to-back buckets and a free throw to give SU its largest lead of the game, 64-41, with 11:21 remaining. The teams traded baskets through the next nine minutes, with Syracuse maintaining a buffer of at least 15 points. Trailing, 76-57, Providence used a 5-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 76-62, but the Orange connected on six-straight free throws to make it 82-64 with 1:25 remaining. The Friars added a pair of field goals and Scoop Jardine netted a trifecta to produce the final, 85-68. Triche rounded out the double-figure scorers, finishing with 15 points, three rebounds and four assists. Johnson and Andy Rautins each added eight points for the Orange with Rautins also posting five boards, three assists and a pair of steals. Johnson matched his scoring performance with five rebounds and a pair of helpers. Rick Jackson had a career-high seven assists. Syracuse looks to remain unbeaten away from the Carrier Dome when it visits Cincinnati on Sunday, February 7 at 2 p.m.